Tu3Jp Headgasket Advice

[richpowell 0]

Hi all

 

Im after some advice regarding my 206 1.4 tu3jp headgasket. Basically i replaced the headgasket this time last year, since then i have only covered 2500 miles in it due to injector problems, once they were sorted it was running fine untill the cold weather came, then my car developed a misfire from cold apart from the odd occassion where it would be fine. I thought it was another injector failing but checked them and they were fine so checked a few electrical connectors (thought it could be dampness on coilpack) again no problems so took the rocker cover and breather pipes off. Once off i noticed "mayo" on the underside of the rocker cover and breather pipes blocked, but i have had problems with one of the clips for the breather hose meaning it wasnt sealing properly so thought nothing off it but cleaned it up and thought i would see if the misfire got worse.

 

Then over the next few weeks noticed it wasnt getting any better/worse untill one day were i noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust, i checked the coolant and it had gone down enough to make me worry. None the less left it for a week and still no change, so i decided to take the head off and see what was what. Upon removal i noticed a few things that im unsure about.

 

Number one the gasket seemed to be in worse nick in one spot than i would expect for having only done 2500 miles (see picture below)

 

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/richp91/IMAG0018.jpg

 

Also i noticed on the underside of the head a few points im unsure to whether it would be susficient to cause the headgasket symtoms ive been experiencing.

 

This picture shows the same point that the gasket spot in the above photo sealed on the head.

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/richp91/IMAG0012.jpg

 

The second is a point that i think it could have been leaking coolant into the cylinder but not sure if it is or just really gruby. (point inbetween the two combustion chambers leading up to a coolant hole)

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af109/richp91/IMAG0013.jpg

 

These could well be common and normal things with nothing to worry about but i dont have any experience with headgasket problems so i thought i would ask the experts.

 

Any advice would be greatfully recieved

Thanks Rich

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

I cant actually see the pics as I'm at work at the mo, but did you get the head skimmed last time?

[richpowell 0]

I cant actually see the pics as I'm at work at the mo, but did you get the head skimmed last time?

 

Yeh forgot to say i had it pressure tested and skimmed last time and used new head bolts.

[GeorgeXS 32]

Might be entirely wrong here, but isn't that gasket blocking up an oil drain/coolant feed from the head to the block? hence it looks rough as something has been trying to pass through it?

[Anthony 1,002]

Looks distinctly dubious on both sides of that cylinder IMO - certainly looks like it's gone between the two cylinders.

[richpowell 0]

Might be entirely wrong here, but isn't that gasket blocking up an oil drain/coolant feed from the head to the block? hence it looks rough as something has been trying to pass through it?

 

As far as i remember the gasket is the same as the old one in terms of holes etc, but i assumed that if it was a problem with the gasket blocking holes or just being the wrong one it would have caused problems a lot sooner than now. I will double check though in the morning though as it may only be a slight difference and one that i didnt spot when installing it.

 

Looks distinctly dubious on both sides of that cylinder IMO - certainly looks like it's gone between the two cylinders.

 

Yeh my first thought when i took it apart was it was in worse condition than i would have expected considering its only done 2500 miles. In terms of it having gone between the two outside cylinders inwards, before i took it apart i thought that it had perhaps gone between number two and number three but it looks as though its been sealing between them fine.

 

Has anyone had any bad experiences with FAI gaskets?

 

At the moment im thinking of putting it back together again as its only going to cost me £20 to put it back together so ive not lost much if it doesnt work, more the inconvenience of it all.